Loading machine for reactors



July 7, 5 s o 2,893,575

LOADING MACHINE FOR REACTORS i Filed Jan. 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, S/Qney L 67070.; BY

ATTORNEY July 7, 1959 s L. SIMON LOADING MACHINE FOR REACTORS 4 Sheets-Shee t 2 Filed Jan. 17, 1950 INVENTOR. 67'aney L. 5/0700 ,4 T'T'OENEV July 7, 1959 s, SIMON 2,893,575-

LOADING MACHINE FOR REACTORS Filed Jan. 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Sidney L, SW

y 7, 1959 s. L. SIMON 7 2,893,575

LOADING MACHINE FOR. REACTORS Filed Jan. 17, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. -5l'aney L. 6/7770 BY arro'e/vm/ 'nite S Application January 17, 1950, Serial No. 138,950

3 Claims. 01. 214 -18 This invention relatesto an apparatus for loading or charging slugs of fissionable material into a nuclear reactor or chain reacting pile. It is common in nuclear reactors to have parallel cylindrical fuel channels and my invention is especially concerned with charging fuel into nuclear reactors having parallel vertical fuel channels therein. The invention is not limited, however, to reactors wherein the fuel channels are vertical, nor is it necessarily limited to reactors having parallel fuel channels.

The charging of fresh fuel elements into nuclear reactors is a difiicult problem there being a number of considerations giving rise to the ditficulties. The loading operation must of course be conducted behind or within radioactive shielding barriers for the protection of personnel. Also the entire reactor including the chamber in which the loading operation is efiected is within a pressure tight shell or casing and the fresh fuel elements must be brought within this casing from exteriorally thereof. The means for introducing the fresh fuel elements or cartridges into the entrances of the fuel channels must be capable of accurate alignment with individual fuel channels to permit the transfer of fuel elements from the loading mechanism to the reactor channels. From the foregoing, it is seen that the various considerations involved place limitations on the mechanisms and techniques that are practical for loading reactors.

The apparatus of my invention is a muzzle loading type since it comprehends a delivery tube or muzzle having adjustment whereby the muzzle may be brought into alignment with any one of a plurality of fuel channels. The delivery end, that is, the delivery tube, is located within the pressure shell and it is also disposed within shielding barriers to shield the radioactivity while fuel cartridges or slugs are forced through the delivery tube by an externally driven flexible ram.

The primary object is to provide a fuel loading machine for a nuclear reactor wherein a manifold is provided which is in the form'of a section of a cylindrical surface with a fuel cartridge delivery tube cooperating therewith, the tube having rotary movement corresponding to the arcof the cylindrical surface and having reciprocatory movement along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical surface.

Another object of the invention is an arrangement as in the foregoing object wherein the delivery tube is formed as a right angle bend at the end of a longer tube, the longer portion being rotatable and reciprocatablewithin a sleeve, a flexible ram being provided within the tube portion and being reciprocatable within the tube by external drive means for forcing fuel elements through the tube and out its delivery end and into the channels of the reactor.

Numerous advantages and additional objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, wherein Figat O are 1a is a partial sectional view of the forward or ejector end of the loading'machine shown in its relation to the loading chamber of-the reactor. Figure 1b is a sectional elevation of the rear or back part of the loading machine. Figure 2 is a sectional view of the loading chamber of the reactor showing an end view of the loading mechanism. Figure 3 is a plan view of the drive mechanism for the loading apparatus. Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3. Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1. Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view taken along line 66 of Figure 1. v I

Referring to Figure 1a, numeral 10 designates the extension of the pressure {shell at the bottom of the nuclear reactor or pile, the'pile'being cylindrical and having vertical fuel channels." Manifold 11 is provided having a plurality of curved tubes as shown connecting the inlets to the fuel channels of the pile. The manifold itself forms a segment of a cylindrical surface. The fuel feeding machine of this invention is of a muzzle loading type. The muzzle or discharge tube is indicated at 12 and as will be described, it is capable of movements such that the muzzle can be brought into registry with any of the openings in the manifold 11 and also with a fuel entrance port 14 disposed at an angle in the side of the shell extension 10,

Tube 12 has a right anglebend in it as may be seen on the drawing andjit extendsthrough a tapered fitting 16 which is rabbeted to an end plug 13 fitting in the end of an adjustable'cylinder or sleeve 20. Extending downwardly from fitting is" a pilot pin 17 which may be used in connection with the "indexing control mechanism for bringing tube 12 into registry with desired fuel channels. The cylinder 20 is within a tubular conduit or sleeve 23 communicating with the sidewall of the pressure shell 10, bearing 24 being provided between the cylinder 20 and the sleeve or tube 23 and a "seal 25 also being 'provided between these members. Bearing 24 is a sleevebearing providing for both rotation and axial movement of the sleeve 20. The tube 23 communicates with housing 27 having an enlarged portion 28, the'housing'enclosing" the drive mechanism whereby rotational movement and sliding axial movement may be imparted to the cylinder 20. These mechanisms will be described presently. The horizontal portion of tube 12 is centrally disposed withincyl-inder 20, being spaced from the sidewalls thereof by spacer members 31. A flexible ram is provided within tube 12.as indicatedby numeral 34, this ram being comprised of short rigid lengths connected by ball and socket joints so that the ram is axially rigid but laterally flexible so as to be able to traverse the right angle bend in tube 12. The ram includes a solid'port-ion 37 which extendsbeyond the cylinder 20 into tubular-housing 39, which is within housing 27 as shown in Figure 1b.

Also in Figure 1b it will be seenthat numberal 41 designates a gear having a collar 40 which is splined onto the cylinder 20 and the collar portion 40 is mounted in a journal bearing 43 in a pedestal support 42 in the enlarged portion 28 of housing 27. bearings 38 are provided between the gear 41 and pedestal 42'and between pedestal 42 and a bearing plate 45 attached to collar 40, The gear. 41 is driven by a worm gear 47 mountedpn a shaft .44 (see Figs. 3 and 4) and through this drive rotational movement may be impartedto cylinder 2 0 and"consequent1y to themuzzle of tube 12, whereby itmay'move in an arc adjacent to Suitable thrust reason of the swivel connection the cylinder 20 may rotate' relative to the tubular housing. 39-. On. thetop and bottom'sides of the housing- 39 .are provided: racks 51.

and 52- which mesh withpinioncgears- 53. and. 54,. the lower: one of which isanidler:gearaandrthezuppert one of which is driven by a shaft 57 passing throu'glra-a seal intheesidewall of thehousing-,-2-7;as shown (seewFigL 5).

Thegears 53 and 54 are on shaftszmountedginia pedestal.

55,. within housing 27;,onezbeinggdireetly over the other as shown. Through the raclcandj pim'omdrivetath'e hous: ing 39 and consequently;the:cylinder .2 :mayjbe advanced or, retracted within the tubularrstructurei23, sothat the muzzle of tube 12 may-be moved 1ongitudinally,,that is, parallel to the axis of thecylindrical surface of: manifold 11. Thus by virtue of this movement of.tube 12 combined with its angular movement. the outlet of tube 12 may be brought into: registry-:with, any. one of the openings in the plate of manifoldll.

The rigid portion 37 of the ram operatingwithintubular housing 39 is advanced and retractedtby means of intermeshing helical gears 60 and=61-, one ofiwhich. engages the ram portion and theother of which, 60,,is on a splined shaft 62. Thrustbearings 63 are provided on either side of the gear on shaft 62-toitake up the axial thrust. Gears 60' and 61. are mounted'in a gear box 64 which extends into housing 39, .gear'61havingits axis vertical as may be seen on Fig. 1. When housing 39 is advanced or retracted gear box64 moves with it, this being permitted by splined shaft 62. Shaft 62- is driven through bevel gears 67 and: 69 and shaft 68: Shaft 68 is journalled in a bearing supported: in an upstanding portion 79 of pedestal 55 (see Fig; Bevel gear 69 is mounted on shaft 68 which extends from .housing 27 through a suitable seal (see-Fig. 5). Shaft .62..issimilarly mounted in pedestal 55, andit carries gear 67. The right end. of shaft 62 extends into bearing housing 80. Shaft 63, through gears69and 67 drives: shaft 62 which through helical gears 60 and 61-drivethe ram portion 37 which may be advanced .or retracted as. described.-

Ffom the foregoingit Willa-be observed that by virtue of the three separate drivesthe tube 12 may be moved angularly, it may be advanced andretractedrelative to sleeve 23 and the ram withinthetube. 12. may be advanced and retracted.

It will be understood, of course,.that the motors providing the angular and reciprocatory drive for muzzle 12 will have appropriate power and speedand may have interlocking controls to facilitatexindexing muzzle: 12 to desired fuel channels.

In operation, as will be understood..;by.thoseskilled in the art, muzzle 12 is operatedor. positioned toregister with loading tube 14, with the rams 34-37 retracted. The muzzle or tube 12.is then loadedwith fuel'slugs or cartridges and then indexedltoa desired fuel-channel or channels as described above... By-operationof the flexible ram one or more fuel .slug s..=is.forced. up into the desired fuel channel.

As may be seen the loading niechanismmay beindexed to anydesired fuel channelat. any particular location in the reactor. As pointed out.abov.e, .a controLmechanism may be provided whereby an operator may .pickout any desired channel to be loaded and after making proper.

settings cause the drive motors to operate so as to index the loading to that desired channel. The control mechanism is not a part of my present invention.

As will be observed from the foregoing the drive for the flexible ram is carried in part by the advancea-ble and retractable housing 39, that is, gear box 64 moves with the housing 39 since the gear is mounted on'the splined shaft 62. Thus, the drive for the flexible ram does notconflictwith the advancing and retraction of the loading tube itself.

While my invention as pointed out above has its principal adaptation in connection with the loading of chain reacting piles for reactors, it is of course conceivable that it might find adaptation in related types of apparatus wherein it is desired to efiect similar material loading or handling operations. In other words the mechanism of my invention is-effective to achieve the exact positioning of materials-under control from a rernote po'intparticula'rly-in' these'nse that the materials areto be positioned in any one of a plurality of particular positions. The

invention: combines flexibilityandadaptability with simplicityan'd ruggednessof construction without introducing characteristics unfavorable to thefulfilling of sealingand shielding requirements.

I claim:

1. In a material loading or handling machine, in combination, means formingan advanceable and retractable ram, means forminga carriage for the ram; said carriage having. mountings permitting advancing and retracting of the carriage, the ram having at its. end a delivery tube turned lat an angle to the direction of motion of the carriage; and mounting means providing for rotating the delivery-end of the ram and delivery, tubeinan arcuate pathwhereby the delivery tube may be adjusted to a:

plurality of positions.

2.. The structure of claim 1 including drive means for the ram, comprising a gear carried' bythe said carriage and means including a gear mounted on a splined drive shaft and being meshed with said first named gear for actuating said ram.

3. In a material loading or handling machine, in combination, means comprising a loading-tube having a right angle-delivery portion, a flexible ram disposed within the tube, drive means for the flexible ram, 21 carriagefor:

reception .of the loading tube and ram, means for actuat ing thecarriage to bodily move the loading tube and ram to' adjust theposition of the delivery end of the tube, and additionalmeans for movingthe delivery end of the tube in-anarcuate'path without relative movement of the ram itself to provide for adjustment of the delivery end of the tube, said last named means including a-gear'carried by a portion of said carriage and driven from an external power source.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES? PATENTS 

